The present invention relates to waste processing systems, and more specifically to safety devices and systems, backflow reduction devices and systems, conformable wood reduction devices and systems, and methods of operation of and for such waste processing systems.
A variety of machines have been developed to recycle, reduce, or otherwise process wood and brush products. Included therein are machines that chip, cut, grind, or otherwise reduce waste (wood) products including, generally, chippers (disk and drum types), hammer mills, hogs, shredders, grinders, and forestry mowers.
These waste processing systems typically include an infeed system and a waste reducing or cutting system, wherein the infeed system is used for directing the waste material to the waste reducing system, the waste reducing system being used for reducing the waste material. These waste processing systems also include a discharge system for removing and directing the reduced material.
These waste processing systems include large, industrial conveyer fed waste processing machines which are capable of quickly reducing bulky (e.g., large size) wood products, as well as doing so in high volume applications. For example, conveyor-fed systems may be used to reduce large tree stumps and trunks, as well as branches, brush, and other bulk wood products. These known systems generally include: an infeed assembly comprising, for example only, a conveyer infeed system; a feed wheel assembly comprising, for example only, a pair of feed-wheels; a cutting assembly comprising, for example only, a drum assembly further comprising reducing members; and a discharge assembly comprising, for example only, a conveyer discharge system.
Examples of such waste processing machines are disclosed in: U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,912, issued Apr. 11, 2000, entitled “Break-Away Processing Tool For A Waste Processing Machine”; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,863,003 and 6,299,082; issued Jan. 26, 1999 and Oct. 9, 2001, respectively; all to Smith; and entitled “Waste Processing Machine”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,210 issued May 9, 2000 to Smith, entitled “Rotor Assembly For A Waste Processing Machine”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,020, issued Feb. 11, 2003 to Smith, entitled “Replaceable Raker Assembly For Processing Tool Of Waste Processing Machine”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,082, issued Oct. 9, 2001 to Smith, entitled “Waste Processing Machine”; U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,845,931, 7,121,485, 7,384,011, and 7,726,594; issued Jan. 25, 2005, Oct. 17, 2006, Jun. 10, 2008, and Jun. 1, 2010, respectively; all to Smith; and entitled “Multi-Functional Tool Assembly For Processing Tool of Waste Processing Machine”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,166, issued Jan. 16, 2007 to Smith, entitled “Rotatable Assembly For Machines”, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
These waste processing systems also include wood chippers. For example, hand-fed wood chippers are used to reduce trees, branches, brush, and other bulk wood products into smaller wood chips. A typical wood chipper includes an infeed chute; a feed system which may be adapted for controlling the feed rate of wood products; a wood chipping mechanism (disc or drum); a drive system for the feed system and chipping mechanism; and a discharge chute. More particularly, the infeed chute is typically a funnel-type conduit provided with a wide opening which tapers toward the feed system to converge the bulk wood/waste products toward the chipping mechanism and, through the action of the feed system, the bulk wood products are brought into contact with the chipping mechanism which grinds, flails, cuts, or otherwise reduces the wood and waste products into smaller pieces. The smaller pieces are then propelled out of the discharge chute. An example of such a wood chipper is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,539, issued Nov. 23, 1999 to Morey, and entitled “Wood Chipper With Infeed Chute Safety Device” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In these known systems, the wood chipper generally includes an infeed assembly, feed wheel assembly, and a cutting assembly having a rotatable disc or drum with at least one knife or blade for chipping the wood entering the wood chipper and reducing it to wood chips. The chipper also includes a discharge chute for allowing the wood chips to exit the wood chipper, as well as for generally directing them during discharge.
Other examples of such wood chippers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,707, issued Mar. 7, 2000 to Morey et al., entitled “Drum Assembly For A Wood Chipper”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,125, issued Mar. 14, 2000 to Morey et al., entitled “Wood Chipper”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,539, issued Nov. 23, 1999 to Morey, entitled “Wood Chipper With Infeed Chute Safety Device”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,642, issued Dec. 14, 1999 to Morey, entitled “Wood Chipper With Infeed Chute Safety Device”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,596, issued Apr. 20, 2004 to Morey, entitled “Multiple Wheel Feed Wheel Assembly For A Wood Chipper”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,684, issued Mar. 19, 2002 to Morey, entitled “Adjustable Tension Feed Wheel Assembly For A Wood Chipper”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,204, issued Dec. 14, 2004 to Morey, entitled “Reversing Automatic Feed Wheel Assembly For A Wood Chipper”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,320, issued Nov. 9, 2004 to Morey et al., entitled “Reversing Automatic Feed Wheel Assembly For Wood Chipper”, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Further, and by way of exemplary embodiments only, the feed wheel assemblies of these waste processing systems, including wood chippers may comprise: a stationary lower feed wheel, connected to a lower housing; and a movable upper feed wheel, connected to an upper housing and movable relative to the lower housing for allowing wood to enter the cutting assembly. Further, one or both of the feed wheels may be rotatably powered or driven. These waste processing and chipper systems are also typically powered via an internal combustion, and again by way of example only: may include one or more hydraulic pumps which supply one or more hydraulic drives or motors for rotating the one or more feed wheels; and may also include one or more drive belts and pulley systems which drive the rotatable disc or drum of the cutting assembly.
Additionally, it is known to utilize cords, ropes, or other lines to gather and feed the bulk wood products in order to make them ready to be reduced by the waste processing system. Typically these cables are used to gather, secure, drag, lift, etc., the bulk wood products onto and into the infeed system for capture by the feed system. This gathering and feeding may be done manually or with the assistance of a winch and winch line.
However, although these existing types of systems have worked well, if proper procedures are not followed, they suffer from the disadvantage that, inter alia, the cable or line may become entangled in the cutting assembly. In turn, this can cause operational downtime and/or damage to one or more systems and components of the waste processing system, or worse, injury. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide novel devices, systems, and methods for a waste processing system that overcomes the above-identified disadvantages.
Further, devices, systems, and methods for reducing the backflow or blow-back of wood particulate in the reducing chamber are also desired, and yet further devices, systems, and methods for reducing conformable or pliant wood material is further desired.
Accordingly, a need exists for novel devices, systems, and methods which have, among other advantages: the ability to reduce or prevent the risks associated with these prior art waste processing machines; reduce backflow; and process conformable wood products. It is further desirable to provide such devices and systems which are relatively inexpensive to manufacture, assemble, as well as are easily operable. It is also desirable to provide such methods that are effective, cost effective, and are easily maintained and/or followed. Yet further, a need exists for novel devices, systems, and methods which have, among other advantages, the ability to reduce or prevent cables and winch lines from becoming entangled within the reducing systems of these waste processing machines; reducing or preventing these cables and winch lines from becoming entangled in a manner that is automatic and/or does not rely on operator intervention; reducing or preventing backflow within the cutting assemblies; and providing a cutting assembly that reduced conformable wood products more effectively. Therefore, a waste processing system and methods therefor that solve the aforementioned disadvantages and having the aforementioned advantages is desired.